Willie Limond does not want to remembered primarily as the man who almost beat Amir Khan when he finally hangs up his gloves.

Limond put the then unbeaten Khan on the floor in July 2007 when they fought in London's O2 Arena for the Glaswegian's Commonwealth lightweight title.

A count which some believed to be generously long allowed the Olympic silver medalist to recover before winning the fight.

Khan's career continued on its upward trend, but Limond also got back on track and faces British lightweight champion Anthony Crolla at the Ravenscraig Sports Centre in Motherwell on Friday night.

At 32, Limond is in the twilight of his career and a win over Crolla will add another title to his record, which also includes WBU, IBO Inter-Continental, European Union and Celtic belts.

With 34 wins out of 37 bouts Limond's statistics are impressive, but when asked how he would best like to be remembered when he eventually quits the ring, he joked: "Not as the guy who nearly put Khan out anyway!

"I would just like to win this belt and see what happens from there. I think there are still a few things that can happen for me.

"There have been a lot of high points but a few low ones as well. I have fought for titles and there have been better fighters than me who has never fought for titles.

"So I am quite proud of what I have done so far. I have won five titles, two or three better than the others, but I still have ambitions to win more."

Limond, a joiner by trade, insists prospects of the high-profile title fights like Friday have been driving him on his whole career, sometimes even against his better judgement.

"British title fights are the type of fights I have needed to keep me going," he said. "It's been, 'Maybe the next one' then 'Maybe the next one'.

"I enjoy boxing as well, if I didn't I wouldn't do it. But there have been times when I think, 'I could make more working.'

"People think professional boxers make thousands of pounds; they don't, it's not like that. Sometimes you are better off working. Other times, when there are fights, I enjoy being in the gym every day.

"It's down to me, if I could get this title, I have a few years left in me, definitely. I need the fights - and need to win them - and that will keep me going in the gym.

"I don't mind getting up early and running and training again at night. I enjoy doing that. So I need to win this fight."